A psychiatrist, who treated Andrea Yates in 1999 after she attempted suicide twice following the birth of her fourth child, testified in her murder trial this week that she warned Yates not to have another child because it might prompt another psychotic episode. Dr. Eileen Starbranch told jurors that Yates suffered from postpartum psychosis and was out of touch with reality.

"I could pretty much predict that Mrs. Yates would have another episode of psychosis," Dr. Starbranch told jurors. She said postpartum psychosis caused Yates to have delusions and lose touch with reality -- a more severe form of postpartum depression.

The psychiatrist treated Yates in June 1999 after she overdosed on sleeping pills. She said had scratched a bald spot on her head, had filthy hair and could not function.

Several psychiatrists who saw Yates in treatment testified last week. Several of them described how Yates would not answer questions, could not eat or sleep, paced up and down the house constantly, and stopped tending to her hygiene in the months leading up to the drownings.

Sickest I've Ever Seen

"She was one of the sickest people I've ever seen, and I think she was suffering from some sort of mental disturbance for quite a while," Dr. Ellen Allbritton told the jury. "I was profoundly affected by how sick she was when I saw her."

Yates' defense attorneys must convince the jury that she did not know her conduct was wrong at that time she drowned her five children, because of a severe mental disease or defect before the jury can find her not guilty by reason of insanity.

See Also:
Yates Was Warned Not to Have 5th Child
Yates Paced House, Spoke Little, Jury Told
Tub-Filling Incident Recalled at Yates Trial

Background:
The Trial of Andrea Yates
Profile of Andrea Yates

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